Zeldasign Ralph's side of the story
by Tsukasa Fan
Summary: there are two sides to every story, and Ralph is making sure one thing is set straight about what people think of the kingdom of Hyrule, and most of all what people think of Link!
1. Chapter 1: Branding the hand

.Zelda/sign

One of The Official Books

From the memory of Tsukasa Fan, one of the official books of my most treasured Role Playing experience.

"And he takes the credit again." says a boy, reading a newspaper. The boy looked about 18, with his long, ruby red hair and emerald green eyes. He wore a pointy blue hat with an orange rim, and he was decked out in blue including his cape which he kept fastened under his chin. He lifted one hand under his chin, his green painted nails gently scratching the tip. In frustration, he then threw the paper to the ground, turning his back sharply. "It's really getting old," He said striding to the corner of the road, keeping his hand on a sword he kept on his hip. "If I let this go any further, they will all think I just sat there. Link has a bad habit of stretching the truth. It's bad enough that they all think he is the hero of all of Hyrule." he leaned on a fence post, positioning his hand on his forehead, as he does when he needs to do some deep thinking. "He is even telling everyone that I am Nayru's lover! Yuck! I hate that woman." He straightened out, looking up and out across the dirt road. "More or less, I'm her little lackey. I must protect her because I "owe her" for finding me. Heck, I was fine with living off the land with my wolf brethren." He turned his attention to woods, hearing the wolves howl. His fist clenched, as did his teeth and he swept away from their call.

He walked across Hyrule Field, and up to Hyrule Castle where he was to be marked as an honorary hero, alongside Link. The mark was a Triforce burned into the skin, and although he was not a keeper of one of the Triforces, Princess Zelda felt that it was fit that the Hylian heroes would have the mark, so they were easily identified. As he approached the giant wooden draw bridge of the Castle market place, he heard approaching hoof beats behind him.

"Hero Coming Through!" A younger looking boy in green yelled, as he came barreling across the drawbridge on a cherry red mare, almost running the other boy into the water.

"Watch where you're going Link!" he screamed, shaking an angry fist at the mounted bulldozer. The boy known as Link did not look back or apologize, he just went forth. The red haired boy grunted and shuffled his way toward the castle gates, fiddling with the hilt of his sword.

When he finally got to the castle, he poked his head inside the doors. he had only been in the castle a few times, but Princess Zelda seems to add to her decor in between each visit. He strolled across the polished black and white floor, being sure not to stumble onto the long red carpet or on his lagging blue cape as it swished in front of his feet. He didn't let his eyes wonder, for it did not look professional or hero-like, instead he kept his eyes fixated on the throne and sitting in it, Princess Zelda herself. Princess Zelda raised to the arrival of the, rather late, boy.

"Nice of you to finally join us Ralph." Princess Zelda said keeping her prissy Princess gaze.

"Yeah, nice to see you too, Princess." Ralph said rolling his eyes under his long hair. He and Link knelt in front of Princess Zelda and offered up their left hands. She called upon the power of Din's fire to be brought to her hands in the shape of the Triforce. Ralph was first. Zelda brought her hand to Ralph's hand at the wrong angle, and burned onto his skin, a lop-sided Triforce. Ralph tried to pull his hand away, but Princess Zelda tried to correct her mistake by correctly positioning her branding on the already burned hand.

"Darn it. Well, I guess this means I'll have to do your right hand then." She flipped her hair out of her face, and takes Ralph's right hand. Ralph bit his lower lip as her branding hand began searing his unmarked flesh. Ralph involuntarily hissed in pain, his two hands raw and red. On his right hand, was a perfectly marked Triforce, but on his left hand were two Triforces entangled together, much more like the Star of David.

Link was next; of course Ralph was the guinea pig so her "hero of time" doesn't get any nasty marks. Link got his branding perfectly and almost painless, followed by Zelda kissing his burn slightly. Ralph, of course, didn't want such affection from Princess Zelda, but it disgusted him that he was treated like dirt, rather than an honorary hero as he was now labeled.

"Now, both of you, I bid you farewell." Princess Zelda said with a slight bow. Ralph and Link returned the favor, but with a much lower bow. Then, the two boys exited the castle, Link having the most unorthodox way to exit the castle by running, jumping out, and landing on his steed. Before Link rode away; he turned to Ralph, who was taking his time to leave the castle, trying to keep his professional stride.

"Hey, sorry about that buddy!" Link grinned, "But you know Zelda, her big crush on me an all." Ralph tried to keep from growling at the forest boy.

"What ever." Ralph managed to grunt. Link then flashed his boyish smile and rode off away from the castle. Ralph stood on the top step of the castle stairs looking down onto the wide, white brick paved pathway. The two guards on either side of the stairs stood like statues in their silvery iron armor, swords ready in their hands. He finally decided to make his way down the stairs. Keeping his stride, he left the castle grounds and dawdled his way out into Hyrule field.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't care much for his part time job, which was mucking out the horse stalls on the Lon Lon Ranch. he used to be employed by Talon, who was good to him and gave him frequent breaks, but ever since Talon let Maylon run the place, He had to work under the little brat slave driver who only paid a rupee an hour.

He didn't care for horses either. Since he knew animal tongue, having lived among the wolves most of his life before Nayru found him, the horses loved to bug him by throwing every insult regarding wolves at him. The one horse he despised most was a bold black stallion named Champion. Champion was an obnoxious creature, insisting on bullying Ralph when ever he had gotten the Chance. He was a sweetheart to most people coming to the ranch, but he never cut Ralph any slack. All the other horses on the Ranch, Ralph didn't seem to mind so much. They never really physically hurt him.

"You're Late Again Ralph!" Maylon scolded, flicking Ralph sharply in the nose. He rubbed his nose, shooting a nasty look at Maylon.

"Well excuse me. I had to meet with the Princess today," Maylon shook her finger in front of Ralph's face, not excusing his tardy. She promptly gave Ralph his shovel and pushed him into a stable.

Ralph reluctantly worked for a half hour, until Maylon told him to go clean up the field. He got out into the warm sunlight and crossed the track and into the gaited feild when the horrid smell of manure hit his wolfish nose like a slap to the face. This wasn't everyday dung he was whiffing, this was the kind of dung that came out one sick behind. What was Ralph to do? This was generating income, which he needed to live on, since Nayru wouldn't pay for anything he needed herself. a Rupee an hour was better than nothing, so he had better get cracking.

Just then, he heard a horse whinny and approaching hoof beats again. just as he thought, Link came to show off, coming in like a whirlwind and jumping over every jump in the field before throwing off Ralph's balance into the dung heap.

"Oh Fairy Boy!" Maylon said in a dreamy sigh as she walked up to Link's horse side and gazed at him longingly. Ralph stood, covered in the repulsive brown sludge from head to foot. "Ralph, show a little decency and get your smelly self away in the presence of the Hero of Hyrule!" Maylon stomped over to Ralph, shooing him away in a hurry. "I am dreadfully sorry Fairy Boy, Ralph never has any respect for anyone of higher class." Ralph's emerald eyes shone with anger, as his twice burned hand clenched into a tight fist. He let out a deep growl as he turned away in disgust and left the ranch.

He didn't much care about his lost paycheck for the day. He was, quite plainly, ticked off at everyone who treated him the way he did, with no respect. Ralph came across a spring and washed himself off, well knowing that the smell won't go away, but at least the substance itself was gone, but it still stained his clothes.

He got back home to Nayru's house. Nayru wasn't home, which was better for Ralph. He took off the stained set of clothes and dropped himself onto his bed. The surface of his old wool comforter was itchy and uncomfortable to Ralph's bare, scare-packed back. He pushed the drooping section of hair out of his eye, letting his eye scan the dim room.

He starred at the ceiling for an hour before he heard the door open and shut with a thud. Small shoes clicked across the hard wood floor, carrying a melodious hum. Nayru was home. Ralph quickly pulled on some fresh clothes; Nayru had a bad habbit of not knocking. He walked out to Nayru whith her hands on her hips, casting an evil glare in Ralph's direction.

"And dare I ask WHY you aren't at work now?!" Nayru snarled between gritted teeth. Ralph turned his head, in indifferent anticipation of a slap across the face.

"I can't take it any more. You think you're "helping me", when you are really only destroying me. I was FINE before you picked me up and shoved this lifestyle down my throat!" Nayru got up in Ralph's face, so close her blue hair touched his nose.

"You were willing to suffer there at that girl's orphanage? I'm deathly surprised how you got in there to begin with!" Ralph's eyes rolled to the left, his cheeks burning hot with the most humiliating part of his past. Nayru turned her attention to Ralph's room, and then back at Ralph. "Look, just because you had a bad day doesn't mean a thing. I still want you to go out and earn your keep and not be a lazy Wolf boy, got it?" Nayru left without another word.


End file.
